The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

by

by : 
Nura M.

Summary

Social media has made its way into nearly every aspect of the livelihoods of adolescents. From influencing behaviors to serving as a platform to socialize, it has its share of positive and negative effects, and when it comes to the mental health of younger users, the negative aspects of social media manifest itself. The American Academy of Pediatrics released a clinical report surrounding the characterization of disruptive social media use in the following light: “'Facebook depression,' defined as depression that develops when preteens and teens spend a great deal of time on social media sites, such as Facebook, and then begin to exhibit classic symptoms of depression” (AAP 3). This term emphasizes the negative nature of overuse of social media platforms and how such behavior impacts adolescent wellbeing. Thus, when studying how usage of social media apps impact the mental health of certain individuals, it is of value to consider what approaches can be taken to ensure that users do not fall into the negative spiral that can lead to the development of symptoms of anxiety and depression.